--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a man is to have a fault, it should be…" description: "\"“If a man is to have a fault, it should be a passionate one, like insatiable curiosity. It would be a pity to be damned for something paltry.”\" — Gary ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/gary-jennings-28037_pity_if-a-man-is-to-have-a-fault-it-should-be_2279289.png" --- # If a man is to have a fault, it should be a passionate… ![“If a man is to have a fault, it should be a passionate one, like insatiable curiosity. It would be a pity to be damned for something paltry.” quote by Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/gary-jennings-28037_pity_if-a-man-is-to-have-a-fault-it-should-be_2279289.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/gary-jennings-28037_pity_if-a-man-is-to-have-a-fault-it-should-be_2279289.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/gary-jennings-28037_pity_if-a-man-is-to-have-a-fault-it-should-be_2279289.png) > ““If a man is to have a fault, it should be a passionate one, like insatiable curiosity. It would be a pity to be damned for something paltry.”” [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A fault should be a passionate, ambitious flaw like relentless curiosity rather than a trivial one. **In simple terms:** Passionate faults are better than petty ones. Key Takeaway Embrace bold curiosity. Themes ambition curiosity values Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choice - creative projects - personal development - risk taking Key Concepts philosophy ethics human nature Questions to Reflect On - What passion drives you? - How to balance curiosity with responsibility? A Different Perspective Passion can lead to reckless decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) ## Related quotes > [Of course in war all madness's come out in a man. That is the fault of war not of a man or a nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frieda-lawrence/of-course-in-war-all-madness-s-come-out-in-a-man-that-is-the-fault-of/) Frieda Lawrence > [I don’t know if it is all (man’s fault) but the majority is, for the most part, it is man who continuously slaps down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-don-t-know-if-it-is-all-man-s-fault-but-the-majority-is-for-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-you-are-offended-at-any-man-s-fault-turn-to-yourself-and-study/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“When you are offended at any man’s fault, immediately turn to yourself and reflect in what manner you yourself have erred:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/when-you-are-offended-at-any-man-s-fault-immediately-turn-to-yourself/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Ah, why should all mankind For one man's fault, be condemned, If guiltless?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/ah-why-should-all-mankind-for-one-man-s-fault-be-condemned-if/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [If someone is a lesbian, it's man's fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/if-someone-is-a-lesbian-it-s-man-s-fault/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [Of course in war all madnesses come out in a man, that is the fault of war not of a man or a nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frieda-lawrence/of-course-in-war-all-madnesses-come-out-in-a-man-that-is-the-fault-of/) Frieda Lawrence > [A brave man, whose only fault was being a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-brave-man-whose-only-fault-was-being-a-woman/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Have you ever thought that the only ugl things in this Cove are man's fault, while the beautiful things are God's work? Look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/have-you-ever-thought-that-the-only-ugl-things-in-this-cove-are-man-s/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Casting couch is not just a man's fault. It is important to say this because we blame the other side always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jeremiah/casting-couch-is-not-just-a-man-s-fault-it-is-important-to-say-this/) [Andrea Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jeremiah/) > [It is man's own fault, it is from want of use, if his mind grows torpid in old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-man-s-own-fault-it-is-from-want-of-use-if-his-mind-grows-torpid/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is a man's own fault, it is from want of use, if his mind grow torpid in old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-a-man-s-own-fault-it-is-from-want-of-use-if-his-mind-grow/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“No man is without fault. Overlook an offence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/no-man-is-without-fault-overlook-an-offence/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Every man has his fault, and honesty is his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/every-man-has-his-fault-and-honesty-is-his/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It's a pity that there's such a negative connotation about paying for sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-sprinkle/it-s-a-pity-that-there-s-such-a-negative-connotation-about-paying-for/) [Annie Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-sprinkle/) ## More by Gary Jennings > [“The Han language resembles no other on this earth. While I had no trouble learning to speak Mongol, and to write with its alphabet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/the-han-language-resembles-no-other-on-this-earth-while-i-had-no/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [After the survivor of the Spanish conquest has told his life's story he is convicted by the Inquisition: He posted no brief in defense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/after-the-survivor-of-the-spanish-conquest-has-told-his-life-s-story/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [“The wise man shall pass into strange countries, and good and evil shall he try in all things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/the-wise-man-shall-pass-into-strange-countries-and-good-and-evil/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [Collect adventures and experiences to reminisce about…go to far places, meet new people, eat exotic foods, enjoy all varieties of women, look on unfamiliar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/collect-adventures-and-experiences-to-reminisce-about-go-to-far/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [“That is the hazard in curiosity, I thought: all the certainties fragment and dissolve. A man curious enough and persistent enough might find even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/that-is-the-hazard-in-curiosity-i-thought-all-the-certainties/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [I'm a writer. I write not only for a living, I write because I'm a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/i-m-a-writer-i-write-not-only-for-a-living-i-write-because-i-m-a/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [I do not know what she was thinking, but I was remembering the years we have lived together, yet never together, and what a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/i-do-not-know-what-she-was-thinking-but-i-was-remembering-the-years/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [Love and time, those are the only two things in all the world and all of life that cannot be bought, but only spent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/love-and-time-those-are-the-only-two-things-in-all-the-world-and-all/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [“I let no chance go by untaken. I never hesitated to follow where my curiosity beckoned. I willingly went where there was danger in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-jennings/i-let-no-chance-go-by-untaken-i-never-hesitated-to-follow-where-my/) [Gary Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-jennings/) > [Of all that I have possessed in my life, my memories are the only things remaining to me. 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Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [It is a pity that, commonly, more care is had--yea, and that among very wise men--to find out rather a cunning man for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/it-is-a-pity-that-commonly-more-care-is-had-yea-and-that-among-very/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“How dare I, Mrs Reed? How dare I? Because it is the truth. You think I have no feelings, and that I can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/how-dare-i-mrs-reed-how-dare-i-because-it-is-the-truth-you-think-i/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [Pity the planet, all joy gone from this sweet volcanic cone; peace to our children when they fall in small war on the heel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/pity-the-planet-all-joy-gone-from-this-sweet-volcanic-cone-peace-to/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [Please dont say you dont miss him. Just to pity me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-yap/please-dont-say-you-dont-miss-him-just-to-pity-me/) [William Yap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-yap/) > [It's really a pity that there are observers who view political events like comic strips. There has to be a Zorro, there has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sankara/it-s-really-a-pity-that-there-are-observers-who-view-political-events/) [Thomas Sankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sankara/) > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The only justice is to follow the sincere intuition of the soul, angry or gentle. Anger is just, and pity is just, but judgement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-justice-is-to-follow-the-sincere-intuition-of-the-soul-angry/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not like studying German, where you mull along, in a groping, uncertain way, for thirty years; and at last, just as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-not-like-studying-german-where-you-mull-along-in-a-groping/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [“Self-pity is the worst disability a person can have, Callie. It's crippling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-terrell/self-pity-is-the-worst-disability-a-person-can-have-callie-it-s/) Shelley Terrell [Browse all 2,046 Pity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If a man is to have a fault, it should be a passionate one, like insatiable curiosity. 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